Military First, Military First

Another world.

Tula Xiaye, the Tower of All-Seeing.

The stench of blood had barely dissipated when the purge of the henchmen of the defector Grand Speaker Griffin Williams quickly began, with the Security Committee conducting a thorough cleansing of the entire administrative center.

With the support of the Security Committee and the academics, Executive Officer Kaliusi invoked the Stellar Code and took an emergency oath to serve as the interim Grand Chancellor of the Arcane Council, temporarily assuming the role of head of state.

In exchange, Senator Aokexindun, the last remaining member of the Starry Sky Council, took over as Senate Executive Officer and began to push for the reconstruction of the Senate.

Backed by the original parliamentary forces, the Department of Magic Engineering and Alchemical Manufacturing, and the military, he is subtly at odds with the interim Grand Speaker, Kaliusi. Secret intelligence suggests that Congressman Aokexindun is seeking to form a political party—one with shared interests, ideals, and goals.

And a secret that everyone knows... is that Senator Aokexindun, who once staunchly opposed Kang De, changed his stance and even switched allegiances after the Battle of Yilan-Tai'er.

He was able to return to Tula Xiaye, take control of the situation, and gain the support of the industrial and military sectors because the legendary Dragon of Cathay stood behind him.

The various factions in Tula Xiaye are already on the verge of conflict, but the real threat lies in the north. Griffin, who defected to the north, has returned to his base and is showing signs of independence. He is also exchanging glances and making secret dealings with other countries.

After all, the world's powerful nations are happy to see a divided Arcane Council.

The shadow of civil war looms large, and other nations could intervene at any moment. National division is imminent. A new power supported by Kang De is rising rapidly, and the figure and schemes of the Dragon of Cathay are shrouded in Shadow and difficult to fathom... Time is running out for the Arcane Council.

In the newly prepared office, Grand Speaker Kaliusi was reviewing documents. His face was still very pale; the old injuries he had sustained required careful treatment and rest, but there was no time for that now.

"Your Excellency the Grand Speaker."

The door opened, Arcane hunter from the Security Committee ushered the visitor in. The Executive Officer of Aokexindun arrived personally, presenting a scroll of documents with both hands. "Please sign this."

Kaliusi asked calmly, "What is this?"

"A request from the Distant Harbor." Executive Officer Aokexindun emphasized the word "request." "The Shogunate's Ministry of Peace requests our assistance in providing a fully equipped magical legion with tactical gear to meet Griffin's challenge."

The acting Grand Speaker raised an eyebrow and said, "The alchemical weaponry of the Dragon of Cathay is unparalleled in the world. Aokexindun should know this better than anyone. Does he even care about the Council's army equipment?"

The newly appointed executive officer, unperturbed, smiled slightly and said, "That's right."

He unfurled the scroll. "Armor, enchanted crossbows, small tactical magic devices, heavy support magic devices, rapid-response tanks, and three times the number of alchemical golems, plus an officer training corps."

"Finally, the Department of Magic Engineering and Alchemical Manufacturing has agreed that their inventory of outdated and obsolete alchemical golems is perfect for Distant Harbor. In addition, we hope that you, the acting Grand Speaker, can coordinate with the academy to also release a batch of some unproduced prototypes and concept machines."

The Aokexindun executive emphasized, "The Duke of Kang De is of great use."

Grand Chancellor Kaliusi gave him a cold look. "Just like the Azure Fleet."

The other person was taken aback. "What?"

"It's not your property," the interim executive said coldly, "You really don't feel the pinch when you sell it."

Aokexindun, thick-skinned as ever, said calmly, "Nothing is off-limits for trade. Duke Kang De never takes things for free; he's all about fairness. He's asking for this equipment to study the Council's army tactics in order to counter Griffin's rebels. This is part of the conditions for Distant Harbor's alliance with us!"

Kaliusi stared at the list on the table, slammed his hand on it, and said coldly, "Handing these over means our army's equipment and tactics are completely transparent to Distant Harbor! For the next ten years, we'll have no military secrets from Kang De —do you know what that means? And these alchemical weapons and magical artifacts, if Kang De gets his hands on them, deciphers and analyzes them..."

"You've got to be quick about that!"

Aokexindun interrupted him impatiently, "He even hijacked the Titan, and you're telling me this!"

"..."

Kaliusi shut his mouth, a look of resentment and a sickly flush appearing on his face.

"Times have changed." Aokexindun softened his tone. "With civil war imminent, nations are pulling out all the stops to support Griffin and split the Council, all for the sake of that Deceleration Field and their own interests. Across the continent, apart from those vassal states, only Kang De is willing to support us... Do we have any other choice?"

Kaliusi clenched his fists in frustration.

He took over a country that had once been incredibly powerful, but which had suddenly become fraught with crisis. After taking the throne, he suddenly realized that beneath the surface of prosperity and strength lay terrifying hidden dangers of social division and unequal distribution of benefits, making the country teetering on the brink of collapse at the slightest gust of wind.

The interim Speaker glanced at Aokexindun, his voice weakening.

"Are you willing to accept this?" he said blankly. "This may only be the beginning. I can see Kang De's greed and ambition. He wants to absorb the essence and foundation of the Council over thousands of years to strengthen himself... He may be a staunch enemy of Griffin, but he won't easily reunite us."

"--We can't beat them."

A cold voice rang out, and the interim Grand Speaker Kaliusi looked up in surprise.

"We can't beat them," the Aokexindun executive said softly. "We can't beat Kang De."

Kaliusi whispered, "Forbidden Spell will be..."

"Forbidden Spell can be countered by Deceleration Field? That's because you didn't see the scene when that Broken Isles sea monster died. Do you think there's only one type of Forbidden Spell?"

Aokexindun gritted his teeth and said, "You think I was just sitting in jail for three months in Distant Harbor? No, Kang De let me out, let me go out and see the world!"

He stepped forward and pressed down on Kaliusi's desk. "Do you know what Distant Harbor has the most of?"

Kaliusi looked at him without saying a word.

"--It's a military camp! A military camp!"

Aokexindun's voice trembled slightly. "What sales homes, what vocational colleges for farmers to become workers, what scout camps, what youth training brigades... they're all fucking military camps!"

"Kang De's alchemical armament has completely taken over the Distant Harbor. Thousands of farmers have lost their land, as have coachmen, brewers, weavers, fishermen, porters... all of them have lost their jobs because Kang De's alchemical machines are a hundred times better than theirs! The goods Kang De produces are a hundred times better than theirs!"

"What do these people do when they have no livelihood and no money to earn? They become robbers, only to be caught and killed; they become street thugs, only to be caught and sent to a labor camp—their original livelihood is gone, and resorting to illegal means leads to certain death. When they have nowhere else to turn, Kang De asks them, 'Do you want to work for me?'"

"If you want to, then accept the training!"

"We welcome all refugees who come from afar! Whether they are farmers or laborers, they are all welcome! But they must sign an agreement and undergo three months of training before starting work. They will be provided with food and drink, clothes, lodging, and money—do you think any lowly person would refuse such a good deal?"

Aokexindun took a deep breath as he finished speaking.

"I saw it with my own eyes."

"For three months, over a period of time, the instructors appointed by Kang De taught these desperate people three things using whips dipped in salt, bread smeared with honey, and dozens of corpses gnawed alive by rats."

"Follow the rules, and you'll survive."

"The more diligent you are, the more you'll earn."

"Kang De always kept his word."

Kaliusi's eyes flickered, but he remained silent.

Aokexindun chuckled coldly. "He made me watch... from beginning to end. A whole grade, hundreds of commoners, graduation ceremony. The best performers get medals, and benefits are announced on the spot... Among this group of commoners, the worst performers, the most dull-witted, the most hopeless, are made to do the most mindless work."

"Those with potential, quick thinking, and intelligence should be given more flexible jobs, or even continue to receive skills training so they can do better jobs in the future."

"And the smartest ones..." Aokexindun gave a complex, absurd, and frightened smile, "... formally enlisted as recruits—they're fucking in the army."

"--Do you understand?"

Do you understand what I'm saying?

"Kang De's ubiquitous military camps and so-called military training, under various pretexts, are like a giant sieve! He used his alchemical machine to smash everyone's livelihoods, then kicked them all into the military camps, taught them to follow the rules, and then screened them! He gave them jobs! The dumbest wouldn't starve, the smarter ones would work for him to earn money, and if necessary, they could be recruited into the army, and the smartest—actually became soldiers!"

"The people from the Azure Waves Province who come to the Distant Harbor are treated this way, the refugees from the Broken Isles are treated this way, and the people from Valentan are treated this way too—I'm afraid the entire Goth community will have to be treated this way from now on!"

"I even saw women being trained! Because women receive medical, childbirth, and combat training, they get allowances and food, and those who perform well get better jobs. Children are trained, meals are free, and those who perform well get recommendations for school... Damn it!"

During his time as a prisoner in the Distant Harbor, he never saw any advanced weaponry.

I have never witnessed any overwhelming power.

But he saw those magical, bizarre, and distorted things.

Everyone queues up.

The adult men walked on the street, their posture upright, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their gazes resolute.

The boys enjoyed marching in unison.

Children use tactics and formations when playing with wooden swords and guns.

Even uncouth women are very knowledgeable about battlefield medical matters.

The entire city had an astonishing fervor and support for joining the army.

Only three months have passed... and this is just the graduation of the first batch of students.

Countless others, whom Kang De had recruited and abducted, were trained in his military camps.

So magical, so bizarre.

This terrified him.

Aokexindun's voice was hoarse. "I fucking have no idea what Kang De is up to. All I know is that the Dragon of Cathay China, wielding an indestructible Forbidden Spell and unparalleled alchemical weaponry, is preparing to train everyone under his rule into soldiers! What scares me most is... I actually think Kang De is afraid!"

As he spoke, his eyes widened in horror, revealing a chilling fear.

"I've thought about it more than once, about rushing up to him and yelling at him, 'What the hell kind of war are you preparing for? Who the hell is your enemy?'"

"But I dare not. I don't want to know the answer, because I know the Council unworthy, the empire is unworthy, the elves are unworthy... I dare not think further. But I know only one thing."

Executive Officer Aokexindun stared indifferently at the interim Grand Speaker before him. "That is—after the war with Griffin ends, there will be no more war Distant Harbor and the Arcane Council."

"Kang De is principled, so I submit to him, I accept his proposal."

"I'll do whatever he wants. I'll fight for him against anyone in this country who plots against him. I know that Kang De's hypothetical enemy isn't the Council, and I also know that Kang De wouldn't mind sharpening his sword on some fools before facing the enemy he fears."

"So..."

He said coldly, "You'd better hurry up and sign this."

Looking directly into the eyes of the interim Grand Speaker, Aokexindun pushed the scroll forward.

"Griffin is doomed. Even with the support of the nations, even with some Deceleration Field to counter Kang De's Forbidden Spell and alchemical weaponry, Griffin is still doomed... The specific manner of his death depends solely on whether Kang De wants to sharpen his sword, and Council's equipment, he does."

He clenched his fist and slammed the scroll onto the table.

"So, he's giving us face—we must accept it gratefully."

Kaliusi remained calm throughout, but at the end, he leaned back with a mocking expression.

"Truly unexpected," the interim Grand Speaker scoffed. "I suppose even Kang De doesn't know this, but the prisoners he sent back to Tula Xiaye to keep me occupied have become utterly terrified, subservient, and extremely loyal to him."

As he said this, he shook his head. "It's a pity, you may not know, but Kang De specifically saved my life and then proposed an alliance with me. I know more than you do. In his eyes, I am the partner... you are just a dispensable tool."

He stared at Aokexindun with a cold smile, then picked up a pen and, looking at the poor dog before him, carefully signed his name as the interim Grand Speaker, then stamped his seal.

"I know."

Aokexindun retrieved the scroll, checked the signature, and turned to leave.

He stopped at the door and turned his head slightly. "It is precisely because he saved your life that we are now mutually restraining each other in the Tower of All-Seeing, which means that he no longer cares about my previous actions against him and intends to spare my life. Since he has made such a decision, from now on, if I do not make mistakes and treat and respond to him with utmost sincerity, then I can continue to live and even gain more."

"I feel both relieved and grateful about this."

With that, he pushed open the door and left the office.

Behind him, Kaliusi suddenly stood up, his anger blazing, then revealed a look of resentment before slowly sitting back down.

"... asshole."

He said in a low, gritting voice, "Bastard."

Leaving his office, Aokexindun walked through the cold and solemn corridors of the Tower of All-Seeing. The shadow of the tragedy had not yet dissipated, and the newly appointed executive officer was filled with mixed emotions.

"Kaliusi..."

He glanced back in the direction of the office, remaining silent.

--You are unwilling to see the Council become subordinate to Kang De, and so am I. It's just that times change, often suddenly, and sometimes we can only try to accept it calmly.

Aokexindun took out a cell phone, a souvenir that Kang De had given him when he left.

Ah, I hope this thing has a listening function.

He swiped his finger across the screen, sketching out a string of text, and sent it.

A reply came quickly.

"Please place the beacon," it said. "We will arrange for jump reception. Thank you for your help."

Aokexindun replied with a polite remark, then put his phone away and said to the eight fully armed top guards behind him, "Let's go, we'll go ourselves and get a squad of the family guard."

The massacre at the Tower of All-Seeing shocked the nation, making personal safety a top priority. Taking advantage of this, Dragon Island Defense launched the Dragon Personal Guard Package, designed specifically for high-end members of the Council. The dragon's appearance and gender are selectable. Simply open the Dragon Island Defense APP to choose your favorite dragon guard.

--Aokexindun first saw this ad in the background of his phone's ad push notifications, and it even came with a voucher.

That's definitely something worth considering.

He fiddled with his phone and casually opened a chat application.

If I place an order and refer a few more business deals to the Dragon Emperor, could I add His Dragon Emperor as a friend? I wonder what kind of content His Dragon Emperor's profile contains?

Aokexindun glanced deeply at one of his top-pinned friends, whose name was "The Mortal Casanova." He knew who that was, and he felt nothing but awe, fear, and gratitude towards this man.

Should we inform the Duke that the matter has been settled?

No, it's just a small matter; there's no need to bother.

Let's get the phones widely adopted in the new Senate before we announce the good news.

He put away his phone and left with his guards.

White Mist World.

The suspended Paradox Sacred Pillar projected the realm of leaps, the very place of Kang De will, where equipment and boxes of all sizes leaped out and landed steadily.

All the extraordinary equipment of a front-line magical Ministry of the Army of the Council is here.

The soldiers, who had completed training, assessments, and reviews over the past few months, stood in formation. They had been implanted with Paradox Crystal and, as Kang De's most trusted warriors, would wield and utilize the most powerful weapons to fight for the leader they had sworn allegiance to on a more secretive and dangerous battlefield.

"To master and operate these weapons and equipment as quickly as possible, especially the alchemical golems."

The soldiers responded, "Yes, sir!"

They advanced methodically, and under the command of officers from the Council, began the distribution.

Kang De nodded and returned to Earth.

We can begin the next phase of the plan soon.

"Comrade Kang De, the latest design is a drone swarm. The low-speed drones will not be interfered with, and the sheer number of them will overwhelm the enemy. They will be equipped with high-energy explosives, controlled by AI, and will be able to penetrate any area, moving in all directions to launch suicide attacks on targets."

A staff officer in military uniform approached, holding a folder. "Based on this, high-powered laser jamming and chemical energy weapon support can be used in coordinated operations..."

Kang De glanced at it a few times, then nodded repeatedly. "Good, good, but..."

The staff officer asked, "But what?"

"A suggestion," Kang De said with an extremely innocent smile, "Have you considered airships?"